Adjustable wire gate



y 1963 T. G. DE VILBISS 3,091,045

ADJUSTABLE WIRE GATE Filed March 21, 1962 35 54 50 /0 30 F p V 36 38 7 r 3a 3 Z J 5 y y x A z 32 lg v 37 32 /3 .r/3 l5 l5 9 92:11

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,691,045 ADJUSTABLE WIRE GATE Tom G. De Vilbiss, Box 1026-3202 28th Ave. Pear-sail, Tex. Filed Mar. 21, 1962, Ser. No. 181,257 4 Claims. (Cl. 39-74) This invention relates to an adjustable wire gate, and has as its primary object the provision of a gate which may be opened either partially or fully to provide three different and distinct widths of openings.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of such a gate whereby a portion thereof may be opened to allow the passage of a. single individual, for example, and then reclosed, a second and wider portion may be opened to permit the passage of a horse and rider, for example, or the entire gate may be fully opened to permit the passage of a vehicle, all with a minimum of effort and difdculty.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of an improved fastening means for securing the gate in closed position, there being identical fastening means provided on either side thereof.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an auxiliary securing means whereby the gate will be retained in closed position in the event of an accidental displacement or dislodgement of the primary fastener.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a gate of this character provided with means whereby individual strands of wire may be tightened as required.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which may be readily attached to existing fence posts, thus permitting its installation by farmers, ranchers, or other persons employing gates of this character without the necessity of professional assistance,

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a gate of this character which may be readily opened in inclement weather and under such conditions as icing, snowfall, or wind without detracting from its effectiveness, and without the necessity of either the purposeful or accident-a1 opening of the gate to any width greater than required.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a gate of this character which is sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and efiicient in operation, and relatively simple to manufacture, assemble and utilize.

Other objects reside in the combination of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawings wherein there is shown a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of one form of gate embodying the instant inventive concept shown in fully closed position.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 3--3 of FIGURE 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Having reference now to the drawings in detail, the gate of the instant invention is generally indicated at It), and is adapted to be secured between two fence posts '11 which in turn are secured to opposed fence posts 12. Since the opposite ends of the gate and their associated fence posts are substantially identical, only one side will be described in detail. The gate per se is comprised of a pair of opposed end gate posts 13, each of which is provided with a series of eyes 14, which are secured to adjusting bolts 15, which in turn are held in position by locking or adjusting nuts 15. The eyes 14 on the opposite gate posts 13 are aligned and have extending therebetween strands of barbed wire 17, or similar material, which in turn are intersected by vertical wire stays 18 at predetermined desired intervals. The eyes 14 are adjustable by means of the nuts 16 and bolts 15 to permit tensioning of the wires as desired.

Each fence post 11 is secured to its associated fence post 12 by means of bolts 20* or the like, which may be provided with attaching eyes, if desired, and each fence post 11 terminates above the level of the ground a desired distance, and is provided with a strap portion 21, which is provided with a pair of parallel inwardly extending plates 22, each of which has a series of bolt holes 2-3 therein. A bolt 24, is passed through the series of aligned bolt holes 23, the bolts 24- serving as a stop means for a transversely offset vertical metal lug or finger 25 secured to the lower end of each of the gate end members or posts 13. The lugs or fingers 25 are preferably of tapering configuration whereby insertion of the same between any pair of bolts 24 will provide for progressively increasing abutting engagement with each bolt 24 of a particular pair. This arrangement obviously and inherently makes taut those portions of the gate 1% on either side of a vertical rod 5%} during closing of the gate. The degree of tautness can further be varied by adjusting the fingers 25 to positions between various pairs of bolts 24.

The fastening elements for the upper ends of the gate comprise a pair of oppositely disposed generally s-shaped bars or straps 39. Each strap 30 has a reverted end portion 31 which terminates in an oppositely reverted book 32. The book 32 is engageable with an eye or a loop 33 at the upper end of its associated end post 13 as an auxiliary fastening, the main fastening being comprised of the engagement of the major loop 31 between a pair of bolts 34 carried by a U-shaped strap or stirrup 35 which is positioned around the upper end of the adjacent gate post 11.

The end of member 30 extending over the gate is elongated as at 36 and has at its extremity an opening through which extends a hook 37, the hook 37 being adapted to engage beneath the topmost strand of wire 17.

In the use and operation of the device the hook 37 of either element 36 is released from its engagement with wire 17, and the assembly or strap 30 is rotated between the bolts 34 to a substantially vertical position, this movement disengaging the end 32 with the loop 33, and the hook 37, which has an extending portion 38 on the opposite side of member 30 precluding the member 38 from falling through the space or opening formed by the bolts 34 and the legs of strap or stirrup 35. Reconnection is obviously effected by moving the parts to the position shown in FIGURE 1 and re-engaging end 32 with loop 33, and engaging hook 37 under the topmost strand 17 of the wire gate.

An upright rod 50 extends above the top of the gate, and a substantial distance below and terminates in an end portion 51 which may carry a ring 52, the end portion being adapted to seat in a socket 53 embedded in the ground, if desired, although alternatively, the socket 53 and the ring 52 may be omitted in the end of the post 50 embedded directly into the ground. Post St} is provided with a plurality of spaced cotter pins 54 extending therethrough, which are hooked over or otherwise engaged with each adjacent wire strand.

It is to be noted that the post 50 is positioned oif center relative to the gate, so that the portions of the gate on the left hand side serve to close a relatively narrow opening, while the portions of the gate on the right side serve to close a wider opening, the arrangement being such that by release of either of the latch members 3:} the adjacent end member may be turned back about the post 5% to provide a narrow opening for an individual, or a somewhat wider opening for a horse and rider.

When it is desired fully to open the gate, obviously,

the end 51 of post 50 is raised to release it from its associated socket 53 or its embedment in the ground, and the full width of the gate may be opened by operation of the fastening member 35 and disconnection of its associated strap 38 at either end of the device. From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved wire gate construction which accomplishes all the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made in this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a wire gate construction, the combination of a pair of aligned fence posts, a flexible wire gate, said wire gate comprising a gate post positioned on each side of the gate, a plurality of strands of wire extending transversely between said gate posts, each gate post having a tensioning bolt comprising an eye therein for each strand, lugs positioned upon the lower end of each gate post, spaced straps positioned on the lower end of each of said fence posts, said straps being engageable by said lugs, a vertical rod secured with and extending the full height of the gate and having one end particularly adapted to be removably inserted in the ground, said vertical rod being positioned medially of'said gate posts and disposed closer to one of said gate posts than the other to provide a plurality of possible openings through said gate, each of said plurality of openings being of a difierent size than the remainder thereof, and latch means positioned substantially adjacent the top of each fence post, said latch means being engageable with an adjacent cooperating gate post, whereby that portion of said gate positioned and disposed on each side of said vertical rod is releasable from the latch means positioned on each of said fence posts to provide at least two of said different size plurality of openings and, upon removal of said vertical rod from its disposition with the ground, the gate in toto may be released at each of said gate ends from the latch means positioned upon each of said gate posts to provide another of said different size plurality of openings, which other opening extends completely transversely of said gate posts and completely therethrough.

2. In the assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said spaced straps comprise a band encircling an adjacent and cooperating fence post, a pair 'of inwardly extending plate-like members integral with said band and having rows of apertures therein and extending therethrough, the apertures of the opposite plate-like members being aligned, a bolt selectively passed through said pairs of aligned openings for engagement by said lug, each of said lugs being of tapering configuration and rendering the portions of said gate on each and either side of said vertical rod taut as the lugs positioned upon each of said gate ends are disposed between said plate-like members and into progressively increasing abutting engagement with the bolts extending through said pairs of aligned openings.

3. In the assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said lugs comprises a finger positioned upon and depending from the lower end of each of said gate posts and being o'nset transversely therefrom, said fingers being dimensioned to fit between said plate-like members and retained against transverse displacement of the progressively increasing abutting engagement of the fingers with the bolts extending through said pairs of aligned openings.

4. In the assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein said latch means comprises a U-shaped strap surrounding the upper end of each of said fence posts, said straps having a pair of opposed legs and a pair of bolts extending transversely between said legs defining an opening, a generally S-shaped hook having a major band extending through said opening and a reversely bent end, a loop carried by each of said gate posts and being engageable only by said reversely bent ends, an elongated bar portion at the opposite end of said major band, a hook carried at the end of said bar portion engageable with the top strand of said gate, said latch means being pivotable to an unlatched position releasing said gate posts in which said latch means is completely removed from said gate and is positioned upon and disposed with respect to only said fence posts, said hook portion having an extension on the opposite side of said bar portion precluding the bar from falling through said opening when said latch means has been pivoted to an unlatched position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Dec. 17, 1943 

1. IN A WIRE GATE CONSTRUCTION, THE COMBINATION OF A PAIR OF ALIGNED FENCE POSTS, A FLEXIBLE WIRE GATE, SAID WIRE GATE COMPRISING A GATE POST POSITIONED ON EACH SIDE OF THE GATE, A PLURALITY OF STRANDS OF WIRE EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY BETWEEN SAID GATE POSTS, EACH GATE POST HAVING A TENSIONING BOLT COMPRISING AN EYE THEREIN FOR EACH STRAND, LUGS POSITIONED UPON THE LOWER END OF EACH GATE POST, SPACED STRAPS POSITIONED ON THE LOWER END OF EACH OF SAID FENCE POSTS, SAID STRAPS BEING ENGAGEABLE BY SAID LUGS, A VERTICAL ROD SECURED WITH AND EXTENDING THE FULL HEIGHT OF THE GATE AND HAVING ONE END PARTICULARLY ADAPTED TO BE REMOVABLY INSERTED IN THE GROUND, SAID VERTICAL ROD BEING POSITIONED MEDIALLY OF SAID GATE POSTS AND DISPOSED CLOSER TO ONE OF SAID GATE POSTS THAN THE OTHER TO PROVIDE A PLURALITY OF POSSIBLE OPENINGS THROUGH SAID GATE, EACH OF SAID PLURALITY OF OPENINGS BEING OF A DIFFERENT SIZE THAN THE REMAINDER THEREOF, AND LATCH MEANS POSITIONED SUBSTANTIALLY ADJACENT THE TOP OF EACH FENCE POST, SAID LATCH MEANS BEING ENGAGEABLE WITH AN ADJACENT COOPERATING GATE POST, WHEREBY THAT PORTION OF SAID GATE POSITIONED AND DISPOSED ON EACH SIDE OF SAID VERTICAL ROD IS RELEASABLE FROM THE LATCH MEANS POSITIONED ON EACH OF SAID FENCE POSTS TO PROVIDE AT LEAST TWO OF SAID DIFFERENT SIZE PLURALITY OF OPENINGS AND, UPON REMOVAL OF SAID VERTICAL ROD FROM ITS DISPOSITION WITH THE GROUND, THE GATE IN TOTO MAY BE RELEASED AT EACH OF SAID GATE ENDS FROM THE LATCH MEANS POSITIONED UPON EACH OF SAID GATE POSTS TO PROVIDE ANOTHER OF SAID DIFFERENT SIZE PLURALITY OF OPENINGS, WHICH OTHER OPENING EXTENDS COMPLETELY TRANSVERSELY OF SAID GATE POSTS AND COMPLETELY THERETHROUGH. 